My invention provides improved apparatus which facilitates the laying of tile with the front faces of all tiles lying in a common plane and with uniform and accurately aligned spaces between adjoining tiles. The invention shown and described in this application is an improvement of the apparatus shown and described in the prior application of Edward Cosentino Ser. No. 422,649 filed Sept. 24, 1982.
The aforesaid application provided a unique method and apparatus which permits the laying of tile with exact alignment and spacing between adjacent tiles and insures that the front faces of all tiles will lie in a common plane using relatively unskilled labor in less time than previously required by skilled craftsmen. However, the particular form of apparatus used in accomplishing the desired result presented certain practical difficulties stemming mainly from the gluing of each spacer element to the rear face and adjoining side of the tiles.
The present improvement eliminates the necessity of gluing the spacer elements to the tiles. Instead the tiles are machined to provide a unique form of indentation and spacer elements having a tile attachment portion conforming to the form of the indentation are fitted into the tile's indentation.
Briefly stated, my invention provides improved apparatus for laying tiles onto a supporting surface comprising:
a tile having a front face intended to form part of a decorative surface and a rear face intended to be bonded to a bed of mortar applied to the supporting surface;
the rear face of the tile having a plurality of elongated grooves which extend for a short distance towards the middle of this face from each edge of the tile in a direction substantially perpendicular to each of these edges;
each of the grooves having at least one undercut part in cross section;
the distance between the bottom of each groove and the front face of the tile being exactly equal for all the grooves;
a plurality of elongated spacer elements, each including an attachment portion and a support portion which are aligned with each other and have lengths slightly less than the length of the grooves;
the attachment portion of each spacer element having a profile in cross section which is substantially the same as the cross sectional shape of the grooves;
the support portion of each spacer element having a profile in cross section which is substantially less than the cross sectional area of the groove and a maximum width which is less than the width of the opening into the undercut part;
the support portion also having a rectangular flange which projects at 90.degree. from its end adjacent the attachment portion;
the attachment portions of respective spacer elements being axially force-fitted one into each of the grooves which open into adjacent edges of the tile constituting 50 percent of the edges of the polygonal tile, one face of the flange of each spacer element bearing against the edge of the tile adjacent thereto; and
the support portion of each spacer element projecting from the tile and having a longitudinal support surface the distance of which from the front face of the tile is equal to the distance between this face and the bottom of each groove.